Monday, April 18, 2011

Saturday, April 15, it was our blessing and privilege to be in attendance at the funeral services in Mesa for our life-long friend and fellow church member, Sister Amy Willis, 96. Her sons, Rick, Lance and Ron, and daughter's Elizabeth and Maxine, all participated in the services and did their mother proud with treasured memories and tesitmony of her goodness.

Because we were returning to our home in Snowflake after the services we were also able to attend the burial which took place that same day at the Snowflake City Cemetary. Her husband, Max, who preceeded her in death, has deep, deep roots in Snowflake, his ancesters having helped in its settlement. He and Amy resided their for some years. Max was Bishop of one of the Snowflake wards. Now their earthly remains rest side by side in view of the Snowflake Temple.

Max and Amy served 4 seperate missions for the Church in South America, as Mission President and as Temple President, helping train native members in their temple duties in the very first temple built in South America.

Mas had passed on before the Snowflake Temple came into existance. At her funeral we learned that Sister Willis was invited as a special guest to be present in the celetial room as President Hinckley conducted the dedication ceremonies, in recognition of her connection to Snowflake and she and her husband's great service over many years in the Spanish speaking missions of the church.

This picture was taken just as everyone bowed heads in prayer while Amy's oldes son, Rick, offered the dedication of the grave.

Linda is seated on the end chair, beyond the casket, holding the umbrella over Max Willis's 91-yr-old sister.

Thursday and Friday, April 13, 14, we stayed with our daughter Elizabeth and husband Rich and family in E. Mesa. We were grateful to them for their hospitality as we had our taxes to complete and meet with our tax preparer and friend, Judy Wheeler (what a nice, competent woman she is) in Chandler before the tax deadline. Thursday, I spent a few choice moments with our grandchildren, in the neighborhood park, behind their house. Here is Drew, and younger sister, Paige, climbing about on one of the trees in the park. They are like monkeys!

To our surprise and delight (especially, Linda) we were greeted on Saturday morning, April 9, with a snow storm across the high country of Arizona, including Snowflake (who says it never snows in Snowflake?)

By Sunday morning, however, the snow had melted away under the rays of the irrepresable Arizona sun. It was nice while it lasted.

This is a view, again, from our back porch, looking toward the Temple.

It was great to attend a track meet recently, in which two of our grandsons, Zachery (Kelly's) and Rhett (Rebecca & Randy) participated. They are on the Show Low team consisting of 6,7 & 8th graders. They competed against runners from Mogollon, Snowflake, Chinle, Heber and Winslow.

Here they are nearing the half-way mark in the 800 meter race, running side-by-side. Rhett (black socks) came in second behind a very fine Snowflake runner. Zachery came in 4th.

Later, Rhett would win first place in the mile and 3rd in the high jump. Zachery also ran in the mile and placed 7th. The challenge for all the runners in the mile was a mistake by one of the judges, who made them run an extra 5th lap. Pretty tiring when you are running the home stretch against a very stiff wind!

We are proud of these grandsons and our other grandchildren who compete in sports programs and other performance available to them through school, church and community.

Alexis, Rhett's older sister, is pole vaulting for the Show Low High School varsity track team, but we have not been in attendance to see her perform. We wish her well.